Two Pairs of Skis
by bloodyhellkillian
Summary: Saint Sorlin d'Arves. A little village and ski resort in the French Alps, the perfect place for Emma to get away from her busy life. That is, until she meets a handsome yet infuriating Irishman.
1. One: Long-Awaited Trip

**O N E**

Click. Emma sighed contently as she finished booking her vacation to the French Alps. She had decided that she needed a break from her job as a bails bond person and after long hours of research and phone calls, she had everything ready for her trip.

Tomorrow morning, she was flying out of Boston and to Paris. There, she would catch a train to Saint Sorlin d'Arves, where she would stay for two weeks.

* * *

Killian zipped up his suitcase and lifted it off his bed and onto the floor. His taxi was already outside and as usual, he wasn't ready.

Grabbing his bag and coat, he dragged his suitcase outside and slammed the door of his apartment shut, locking it hastily. He ran down the stairs, his suitcase bouncing noisily on every step behind him.

The cab driver honked just as Killian pushed the door of him apartment complex open. The cold February air chilled his skin, but he was used to it. Panting, he handed the driver his suitcase and gave him instructed him to take him to the airport. Yes, Killian Jones was for once in his life going on a vacation.

After Liam's death, Killian had shut everyone and everything out, burying himself in work, trying to ease the pain. Fourteen months later, he was determined to not linger in his sadness and make the most out of life. That would be what Liam would want him to do. So here he was, sitting in a taxi, heading to the airport to catch a plane to Paris.

* * *

Emma hoisted her suitcase up into the overhead compartment and slid into seat G45. After going through various checkpoints throughout the airport, she was glad to sink back into the uncomfortable airplane seat.

Seeing as the plane wasn't taking off for a good fifteen minutes, she grabbed a magazine for the pocket in front of her and got settled.

* * *

Killian frantically waved at the agent who was closing up the gate to flight number 76345 to Paris. The young woman smiled politely and told Killian to hurry as the scanned his ticket. He took her advice and walked rapidly through the corridor and boarded the Boeing 747.

After being greeted warmly by the crew, Killian headed to his seat. Shoving his bag into a mostly empty overhead compartment, he looked down to see a beautiful woman occupying the seat next to his.

Her emerald eyes were moving from left to right as she read an article about a celebrity's vacation to Cuba. When he cleared his throat, she looked up, pushing blond strands out of her face. She looked at him quizzically for a few seconds, then blushed and moved so that he could get into his seat.

After an awkward moment during which Killian squeezed himself between Emma and the seat in front of her, Killian leaned back into his seat and looked out of the small window.

* * *

Emma couldn't deny that the man sitting beside her was handsome. She would have texted her friend Elsa, but she couldn't seeing as the plane was flying high above the clouds. Sighing, she decided that it could wait and took out her tablet.

Just as she was plugging in her headphones to watch the latest episode of Arrow, a hostess came by to offer them drinks. Emma smiled and politely requested a Dr. Pepper, which the brunette hostess promptly handed to her.

As for Killian, he opted for a glass of water. Emma was slowly sipping her drink when he decided to start a conversation.

"If you don't mind me asking, are you going to Paris for business or leisure?" The blonde turned her head and smiled politely at him.

"I'm actually going on vacation. What about you?"

"Ah, I'm, well, you could say I'm taking a break from work." He explained. Emma perked up at the sound of his accent.

"Are you British?" She inquired. Killian let out a hearty laugh and grinned.

"Irish, actually. People always think that I am British, but there is a big difference." When Emma blushed and muttered an apology, Killian spoke up.

"Don't worry about it love, I'm used to it." Emma internally frowned. Had this hot stranger just called her 'love'? Had he done so on purpose or unintentionally? Emma made a mental note to be careful around this man.

Nodding, she turned back to her tablet, hoping not to seem too rude. Killian seemingly got the message and pulled yesterday's edition of _The New York Times_ out of his bag.

* * *

After a good seven hours in the plane, Emma was relieved when she heard the pilot's voice over a speaker.

"Mesdames et messieurs, nous allons bientôt atterrir à l'aéroport de Roissy Charles de Gaules. L'heure locale est 7h34, il fait couvert et la température est de 4 degrés Celsius. Nous vous souhaitons un agréable séjour." Emma groaned as the pilot recited his speech in French. Killian chuckled at her reaction.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will soon be landing in Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport. The local time is 7:34 a.m., it is cloudy and the temperature is 4 degrees Celsius. Have a nice stay in Paris."

Forty five minutes later, Emma had gone through the customs and picked up her suitcase. Spotting the sign which indicated where the buses were, she grabbed her suitcase and started walking.

She was tired because of the jet lag, but she couldn't wait to get to the little alpine village to relax. Emma mumbled a couple words in French and was able to board the bus. On the way to the train station, she looked out of the small window, trying to catch a glimpse of a monument or two.

Once the shuttle stopped at Gare de Lyon (or so she thought it was called), Emma managed to find the departure platform from which her train would be heading to Saint Sorlin. After finding a spot for her suitcase and her seat, she certainly was glad to finally be able to relax.

Just before closing her eyes to try to get some sleep, Emma almost jumped out of her seat. She had just seen the handsome man from the airport walk past her wagon, still on the platform.

She shook her head, convincing herself that he was taking the train on the other side of the platform. Even if he was taking the same train, there was only a slim chance of him getting off at the same place as her.

Why was this bothering her anyway? He was just a stranger. She couldn't deny that he had some looks, but that was it. Emma shrugged it off and closed her eyes, trying to get the handsome Irishman out of her head.

* * *

Emma looked around, trying to figure out where to go to check into the apartment she had rented for the next two weeks. Everyone was speaking French, and poor Emma didn't understand a thing. A man dressed in a red ski suit walked by carrying his skis, nearly taking Emma's head off when he abruptly turned around the corner.

After walking around the small Alpine village for around half an hour, Emma finally found the building in which her rented apartment was waiting for her. After a couple long minutes of waiting in line, the blonde came up to the counter to get her keys.

"Bonjour madame, avez-vous une réservation?" the grey-haired woman behind the computer asked Emma. Puzzled, the blonde replied:

"I have reservation under the name of Emma Swan." A look of understanding crossed the older woman's face, and smiled at Emma before typing something into the computer.

"Your apartment is number 311. Here is the key. You will pay at the end of your stay." She told Emma in a strong French accent. Emma took the keys and mumbled a thank you. She then grabbed her suitcase and pressed the button on the elevator. Once the doors opened at the third floor, Emma stepped out and headed down the hall.

The keys turned in the lock and the door opened, revealing the apartment in which Emma would be spending two weeks. It was small, but then again it wasn't like Emma was going to bring anyone in there with her anyway. She looked around the room, taking in the full size bed pushed up against a red wall. The kitchen cupboards matched the blue comforter covering the bed. A large window overlooked the bottom of the ski slopes, and a wooden door led to a small balcony. The latter was furnished only of a white plastic table and matching chairs.

After taking in the view and getting a drink of water, Emma decided to take a shower. The bathroom consisted of a white sink, to the left of which was located the toilet. Against the opposite wall was a small bathtub with a red shower curtain. Emma turned on the water and striped off her many layers of clothing. She stepped into the tub and let the water run down her body, relaxing against the tile wall.

* * *

Emma considered her options as she munched on chips left over from her meal on the train. She could either go rent her skis now or tomorrow morning before her skiing lesson. Deciding to go with the first option, Emma rose from the couch and put on her ski shoes and coat.

She shivered as she stepped outside, pulling her beanie down to cover her ears. The blonde headed towards a booth to get a pass which would allow her to take the various lifts around the resort.

The ski pass acquired, she headed to the ski store in which she had planned to rent her skis. After waiting in line, a young blond man measured her foot and brought her a pair of white and grey Head ski shoes. At another counter, Emma was fitted with white skis patterned with colorful lines. The young woman payed for the equipment, dangerously balancing the skis on her shoulder whilst carrying her ski shoes.

Emma managed to make it back to her hotel without dropping the skis or hitting anyone with them, which she considered an accomplishment. She decided to put them on the balcony so that they wouldn't get in her way as she cooked dinner.

Emma slowly sipped her tomato soup, enjoying its warmth. Yet another thing she had to do tomorrow was to stop by the store and purchase some food. She definitely didn't regret going to her skiing equipment today.

Tomorrow, Emma had her first skiing class. Well, it's not like she had never skied before, it had just been a while. Some nice foster parents had taken her to Colorado a couple times, but that was some 14 years ago, so Emma knew she would be a little rusty. Another reason why she had signed up for these lessons was to not ski alone all day, possibly make friends.

Emma lay down in bed happy to be able to rest after a long day of travelling. Just when she thought she would be able to fall asleep, his face popped back into her head. Groaning, Emma rolled onto her back and tried to forget the handsome Irishman.

 **I hope you're enjoying the story so far! Next chapter will focus more on our dashing rapscallion ;)**


	2. Two: Handsome Stranger

**T W O**

Light flowed through the curtains and into the small room, waking Killian up.

"Bloody jet lag." He muttered into the pillow. Tossing the bed sheets to the side, Killian cursed as his legs came into contact with the cold air. Why did he think it was a good idea to sleep only in a t-shirt and boxers in this weather anyway?

Pulling on his favorite navy sweatpants, Killian dragged his feet into the small kitchen. Rummaging through the cupboards to find a kettle, Killian wondered what he was going to eat for breakfast. He hadn't thought to go buy any food yesterday, being too tired from the long trip. He would just have to run down to the nearest bakery to buy a muffin or whatever they sold in France.

While the water boiled in the kettle, Killian decided to take a shower to wake up. A couple minutes later, he turned off the water and pulled open the curtain. Killian almost slipped on the wet tile, only barely grabbing onto the sink to avoid face planting ungracefully.

Grumbling, he grabbed the fluffy white towel that was laid out for him, drying himself and pulling on a red shirt as well as some dark blue jeans. After stepping into his ski shoes, Killian grabbed his coat and keys, almost forgetting his wallet before slamming the doors of his rental apartment.

* * *

Killian wolfed down the rest of his croissant, hurriedly put on his ski gear and grabbed his skis. He had to run down the narrow stairs (which I assure you is not as simple task) and across the street in order to be on time, well almost, for his skiing lesson. Today was definitely not starting out well.

As far as he could see, the ski instructor was still not there. They were hard to miss with their bright red ski suits anyways. Only four other people were waiting under the sign that read 'Troisième degré', or third degree. A boy dressed in a dark blue ski suit fiddled with his ski sticks as he tried to put on his red skis.

Killian laid his skis down in the snow beside a young woman. He couldn't see her face because of the dark ski goggles covering her pale face. Her long wavy blond hair was pulled up into a ponytail which hung out of her helmet. Turning his attention back to his skis, Killian quickly put them on, pulling down his goggles just as the ski instructor arrived.

* * *

"Shit." Emma cursed under her breath when he saw the handsome Irishman from the plane. Of course he had ended up in the same place as Emma.

"I swear I have the worst luck ever." She groaned internally. Hurriedly pulling on her ski goggles, she looked away, hoping she wouldn't recognize him. Of course, she would eventually have to take off her goggles, but she would delay that moment for as long as possible.

That was Emma's reaction to anything she was unfamiliar with; avoid it or run. In the particular case, she wasn't going to run because she had spent a lot of money on this trip and had been looking forward to it for a long time. That left the second option; avoid him. Of course, that would not necessarily be easy.

* * *

At 10:30, half an hour before the end of the ski lesson, Emma found herself on the same chair lift as Killian (for yes she had learned his name, but only through the ski instructor, Robert). The chair lift was the only place where Emma could take off her goggles without letting Killian see her face. Only this time, well, he was sitting right beside her.

Emma decided to pretend the she hadn't noticed who he was so that she didn't seem too rude. Slowly taking off her gloves, she took a deep breath before lifting up her ski goggles.

* * *

Killian was quietly sitting on the chair lift, admiring the view. He had never noticed how beautiful mountains could be. The ground was covered in a thick blanket of snow, more snow than he had ever seen, even in Ireland. The again, that was probably because he had only skied on very small mountains with little snow.

Turning to make conversation with the young woman to his left, Killian sucked in a breath. He couldn't believe his eyes. The beautiful woman from the plane was sitting right beside him. How did she end up in the same place as him? Killian didn't have a clue, but he sure as hell was not going to complain.

"Emma?" He tentatively called her name. Emma jumped and turned around with a forced smile.

"It's a very nice day today, isn't it?" He said, hoping to engage into some sort of conversation with her. Emma nodded.

"Yes, I think we're very lucky to have such beautiful skies." Emma answered politely. Killian could tell that she was trying to sound interested, but he saw right through her facade. She was guarded, and he was going to figure out why.

* * *

How in the hell did he learn my name? Emma mentally face palmed. Of course he'd know her name, Killian would have learned it the same way she did, through their ski instructor. Scowling, Emma turned back to Killian. She was glad that he was trying to make conversation with her. No one in their ski class had even bothered to say anything to her except the eventual smile or greeting. Then again, that was probably because Killian and she were the only English speakers in the group.

"Have you skied a lot before? You're one of the best in our group." Killian questioned. Blushing at his complement, Emma replied:

"Only three times, the last time I went skiing was right after my sixteenth birthday." Laughing, she continued. "So, as you can see, it's been a while."

"Really? You ski very well." He complemented. Emma mumbled a thank you. Killian opened his mouth to say something, but closed it just as fast as they neared the exit of the chairlift.

"Don't fall Emma, don't fall and embarrass yourself in front of Killian. Don't fall." Emma repeated over and over in her head. She moved to push up the bar of the chairlift, but Killian was faster, his strong ar- stop it Emma! She scolded herself as she 'helped' push up the metal bar. Because of course Killian was doing all the work.

Grunting, Emma pushed herself off of the lift and slid down about ten meters before coming to a stop on the side of the ski slope. She mentally did a fist pump, being proud of herself for not making a fool of herself in front of Killian. God, she really needed to get him out of her head.

As soon as the rest of the group had gathered downhill of the chairlift, their instructor started talking.

"Bon, on va descendre la piste bleue de ce côté. C'est une piste presque plate, donc vous ne devriez pas avoir de problèmes. Je vous rappelle de bien suivre mes traces! C'est comme ça que vous progresserez." Emma did not understand a word of what he had just said. She hoped he would remember to translate. Well, in the best English he could muster, which was not great to say the least.

Of course Robert (pronounced 'Rowbair' by the French) did not acknowledge the two English speakers and started down the slope, expecting the rest of the group to follow him. Emma sighed, as she moved to follow the rest of the group. She would just have to copy what they did.

"He explained that we were going to go down that nearly flat blue slope, which should be easy, and that we have to follow him to improve." A voice said from behind her. Turning around, she saw Killian, who was smiling at her.

"Thanks Killian." She returned the smile.

"Go, the others are already way in front of us." He motioned with a movement of his head. Blushing, Emma pushed off with her ski sticks and gracefully slid down the mountain to catch up with the rest of the group, Killian following closely behind her.

Robert had stopped the small group a couple hundred meters down. When Emma and Killian stopped beside the rest of the group, the old man grumbled.

"Dites-donc, essayez de rester avec le groupe! Si chacun va à son rythme, on ne va jamais y arriver!" Emma did not catch a word he said, but she was perceptive enough to understand that he was not happy. Killian lightly touched her arm, as if to say "I'll take care of this."

"Excusez-nous, j'expliquais à Emma ce que vous aviez dit. Elle ne parle pas Français." He explained with a light accent. Embarrassed, the ski instructor replied.

"Ah, oui, et bien, vous pouvez être le traducteur. Allez, on y va." And he continued down the slope.

"What did he say?" Emma turned to Killian. "Thank you, by the way."

"It's no trouble. I explained the, ah, situation, and he said that I could be the translator and then left." Killian laughed as he moved forward to follow the rest of the group.

"What a delightful old man." Emma laughed with him. "Now come on, or else they'll continue without us."

"After you, milady." Killian joked as the curtsied. Giggling, Emma took off after the group.

Killian wasn't so bad after all. It seemed that Emma had made a new friend.


	3. Three: Unexpected Plans

**THREE**

Killian let out a grunt as he landed roughly in the snow. He heard the skidding of skis and closed his eyes, bracing himself for the impact with the second skier. He was surprised to find that it never came.

"You can open your eyes now." A feminine voice teased Killian. He looked up to see Emma smiling down at him, holding one of his skis.

"Thank you love." Killian said as he grabbed the ski and set it down in the snow. It must have fallen off as he tumbled down the slope. He gladly reached for Emma's hand when she offered to pull him up. Killian noticed that she pulled away the second he was on his feet, well skis. Could she possibly have felt the same spark he did?

Dismissing the thought, Killian took off after her, not wanting to lose the group. Robert didn't like waiting for members of the group at every turn. When he rejoined the group, Killian barely had time to come to a stop when Robert motioned for everyone to follow him back to the village.

A few minutes later, the ski instructor had dismissed everyone and gone who knows where. Killian noticed that Emma had already taken off her skis and was most likely heading home for lunch. Quickly picking up his skis, Killian ran towards Emma, which was awkward because of his ski shoes.

Killian was almost close enough to grab Emma's arm, but he stumbled and ended up catching himself by grabbing her waist, which made Emma jump and turn around.

"Killian? Are you okay?" Killian could hear the smile in her voice.

"Ehm, not really. Help me?" He asked from Under the mess of skis and ski poles above him. Emma laughed and proceeded to remove them.

When Killian rose back up, he grabbed his ski equipment from Emma. Before she could say anything, Killian started talking.

"I was wondering if, ehm, if you wanted to grab a drink with me?" Seeing the surprised look on her face, Killian added "You don't have to, I just-"

"Sure. I mean, why not?" Emma cut him off. Killian smiled.

"Great. Meet me back here in, say, fifteen minutes?"

"Make that thirty? I really need to shower after this morning." Emma replied. Killian smiled and nodded his agreement. He waved at Emma and was off.

* * *

God, why did I say yes? Emma sighed as she let the hot water run down her body. This couldn't happen again. Emma wouldn't let it.

This is exactly how it happened with Neal. First it's a drink, then it becomes a date, and next thing you know he's trying to sleep with you and lands you in jail.

Emma debated whether to meet Killian or not as she dried herself off with a white fluffy towel. Sure, he seemed nice, but they all did at first. Deciding to at least give him a chance, Emma picked out a loose gray shirt to wear with her dark blue jeans. Of course she'd be wearing a coat, but you never know what could happen.

After applying makeup and brushing her hair, Emma was ready to go. She closed the door to her rental apartment hoping for the best.

* * *

Killian couldn't believe it. Emma had actually accepted his offer. Not that he was complaining, she just seemed guarded and wary of everyone around her.

The Irishman opted for a dark red plaid shirt and jeans. He put on his grey winter coat, grabbed his keys and phone and was out the door.

Killian being the gentleman he was showed up early so that Emma wouldn't have to wait for him. She showed up a few minutes after he did, cheeks flushed because of the cold.

Their eyes met, and Killian smiled warmly, glad that she hadn't backed out at the last minute.

"Hello love." Killian greeted Emma once she was within hearing range. The Irishman could tell that the nickname had made her blush despite her already rosy cheeks.

"My apologies, I use that nickname a lot. I can stop if it makes you uncomfortable." He apologized. To his surprise, Emma shook her head.

"It's fine, I'm just not used to it."

"Very well. If you'll follow me, I came across a nice café yesterday. It's just down the street." Emma motioned for him to lead the way, and the two made their way through the little village.

Five minutes later, Emma was sitting at a table across from a laughing Killian. She had recounted her first ride on a ski lift, which had been a disaster. Little Emma couldn't hold on to the metal bar and her ski sticks at the same time, which resulted in her tumbling back down the slope. Emma ran into another skier, who ran into another, and so on.

Emma's story had Killian laughing so hard that he almost spit out his Sprite, which thankfully did not happen. In turn, he shared one of his horrible ski experiences.

Six year old Killian, who had barely ever skied, had decided to be adventurous and follow his brother onto an intermediate slope. Of course the terrain was too steep for him to ski properly, and Killian ended up skiing straight down the mountain, followed by Liam, who was going as fast as he could to try to catch his screaming brother. Killian ended up running into a pine tree. He was mostly unscathed, but from that moment on, Liam never let him follow him onto more challenging ski runs.

After having laughing at their ridiculous adventures, Emma took a sip of her hot cocoa with cinnamon.

"God, my stomach hurts from all this laughing."

"I must say, I don't think I've ever laughed this hard in quite a while." Killian assured her.

"What about Liam? Is he here with you?" Emma mentally slapped herself for being so intrusive as soon as she saw Killian's facial expression darken.

"He, ehm, passed a while ago."

"I'm sorry." Emma frowned.

"It's fine." Killian forced a smile.

Emma felt horrible. She absolutely hated to see the pity on other people's faces when she told them about her rough past, and here she had acted as though she pitied Killian.

"I didn't mean to pry." She apologized. Killian looked up from his drink and met her eyes. "I know how horrible it feels to have others pity you, and if I gave the impression that I did, I'm sorry." Killian nodded understandingly.

"So, ehm, how long are you staying here Emma?" The blonde was glad for his effort to change the subject.

"Two weeks. Well, a bit less now." She smiled. "What about you?" And just like that, the conversation was started up again.

An hour later, as Emma and Killian parted, the two agreed to meet up again the next day for a quick lunch, after which they would ski together for most of the afternoon.

Emma now knew that Killian was really her friend, and maybe, just maybe, she wanted him to be more than that.


	4. Four: Downhill Chase

**F O U R**

Emma suddenly skidded to a stop next to Killian, dousing him in snow. He looked adorably confused for a second, but quickly recovered, smirking at her. Emma's breathing hitched. He looked way too good, standing there smirking while water slowly dripped  
from his eyelashes as a result of getting sprayed by snow.

 _Shit. I am so going to regret this._ Seconds later, Emma was skiing down the mountain as fast as she could, regularly looking over her shoulder to make sure that Killian wasn't too close behind her. She scanned the bottom of the valley, trying  
to find a lift with no line that she could take before Killian caught up to her.

Shifting her weight to her right ski, Emma veered towards a small lift which looked deserted. She almost ran into the metal fences which marked the bottom of the slope in her hurry to get on the lift.

Once Emma was a couple meters from the bottom of the slope, she looked back to see how Killian was faring. Her lips turned up in a satisfied smile when she didn't see him. _Good job, Emma, you lost him!_ She congratulated herself.

Farther up the mountain, Killian smirked. He was currently hidden amidst a small cluster of pine trees, waiting for Emma to come by on the lift. Deciding on a surprise attack, Killian crouched to make a snowball, which would end up hitting Emma if all  
want according to plan. _After all, I do have striking good aim,_ he thought.

Just as Killian rose back up, he caught a glimpse of Emma's blond hair moving through the trees. Killian straightened and got ready to through the snowball. Just as Emma emerged from the trees across from him, Kilian threw the snowball. The latter found  
its target, cold snow running down Emma's helmet and onto her neck.

"Killian!" She screeched. "It's cold!" Laughing, Killian came out from his hiding stop, sliding slowly to where Emma stood. In her hurry to get rid of the snow, she had let go of the metal pole which was pulling her up the mountain.

The blonde scowled as Killian neared her.

"Gotcha." Killian teased her. Emma pouted.

"I'm all cold and wet now." She complained.

"How do you think I felt earlier when you sprayed me in snow, huh?" Killian smirked at her reaction.

"Ugh fine you win. «Emma relented. "Let's go home now. I wouldn't say no to a good hot chocolate with cinnamon." Killian nodded his agreement before adding "Lead the way, love." Killian noticed that, as usual, this did not fail to make her blush. However,  
he decided to let it slide as he followed Emma down the mountain.

As soon as the two friends (because really, that's all they were, right?) took off their skis at the bottom of the mountain, they decided to go to Emma's rental apartment for a warm drink. Killian, being the gentleman that he was, offered, well more like  
made Emma give him her skis for him to carry.

Emma felt useless as she walked towards her rental apartment, Killian following close behind, a pair of skis balanced on each shoulder. She help the door open for Killian to pass with the skis. He looked a though he was about to protest, but Emma shot  
him a look that said _Shut up and accept it_ , to which Killian nodded. Hell, it was the least she could do to thank him for carrying her skis. Not that she had asked him to, but- _Dammit Emma, stop!_ The blonde internally scolded herself  
for letting the handsome Irishman disrupt her thoughts.

"You alright there, love?" He questioned. Emma forced a smile. _Well there goes trying to get him out of your head. Good job Emma._ Yet again snapping out of her thoughts, Emma nodded.

"Yeah, of course, I'm fine." If Killian saw through her lie, he did not question her any further, which she was grateful for. After fishing through her pockets for her keys, Emma managed to open the door, holding it open for Killian.

"Oh, um, you can put the skis on the balcony." She said as she moved to open the glass door. Killian nodded as he followed her. After taking off their ski shoes and coats, the two sat down on the couch.

"So, what would you like to drink?" Emma asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh, just whatever tea you have, if it's not too much trouble." Emma nodded, smiling as she got to work.

"Hey, do you want some, uh, gallettes Bretone, or whatever these things are?" Emma held up the package for Killian to see.

"Sure. Might as well try some new French food while we're here." Popping one of the cookies in his mouth, Killian let out a muffled, "Not bad." Emma laughed at his face.

"Judging by your face, these are pretty good." Sitting down with two steaming mugs, Emma took a bite of Galette Brettone, frowning as she swallowed.

"They're a bit dry."

"I think they're very good." Killian countered, picking up another of the French specialties.

"You're already on your fifth!" Emma poked him.

"No, this is only my fourth!" He defended himself.

"Oh, excuse me, then." Emma laughed as Killian shoved yet another cookie into his mouth.

"You know what, here." Emma handed him the cardboard box. "I don't even like them anyway." She added as she took a sip of her hot cocoa with cinnamon. Killian mumbled his thanks the best he could with a cookie in his mouth.

* * *

Later that day, as Emma lay in bed, she couldn't stop thinking about Killian. One side of her was screaming at her to run, but the other told her to stay, to let him in.

As Emma debated was her next move would be, she considered how fast she and Killian had become close, as well as her attraction to him. Groaning, Emma decided to call her best friend Elsa for help.

On the third ring, Elsa picked up.

"Hey, Emma, how's the trip going?"

"It's great. Yeah, it's _really_ great."

"Who is it? Who has you all flustered, Emma."

"Who says there even is a guy?" Emma huffed, not surprised at Elsa's sudden accusation, but flustered that she could be read so easily. Elsa scoffed.

"Okay fine. There's this guy in my ski group." Emma recounted their meeting on the plane as well as the meal and afternoon spent together.

"So, what's the problem?" Elsa questioned.

"You should see him, Elsa. I mean, he is _hot_. And I guess I'm attracted to him, you know." Elsa hummed in understanding. "But I'm scared." Emma continued. "What if he ends up being like _him_? I can't go through that again, Elsa!"

"Emma," Elsa sighed, "Not all men are like Neal. I think it's time you let someone in, and honestly, Killian sounds like a great guy. You should listen to yourself talk about him! It's like you're already half in love or something."

"I've known him for three days!" Emma almost screamed into the phone. She couldn't be falling for him that fast!

"Yeah, but from what I've understood you two have gotten really close in those three days! You've told me at least five times that he is, and I quote, 'Such a gentleman' and 'so hot'. Seriously, Emma, live a little!"

"Okay, fine." Emma relented. "I guess I'll give it a try. Thank you Elsa." She smiled.

"No problem. What are friends for?" Elsa laughed.

"Well, it's 11 pm here, so I'm going to sleep now. Thanks again for the advice."

"Okay, goodnight. Tell me how it goes!" Elsa added, making Emma laugh.

"Alright. Bye Elsa!" Emma put her phone down on her nightstand and turned off the lights before sliding into her bed. For once, Emma was anxious to see what tomorrow would bring.

* * *

 **I would like to thank the two guests who reviewed the last chapter! Thank you for your feedback, it is greatly appreciated!**

 **I would also like to mention that Saint Sorlin D'Arves is a real village in the French Alps. I will try to make any description of it as true to reality as possible!**

 **I have been thinking about having our future couple stay a few days in Paris, during later chapters of course. What do you think?**

 **Thank you for your support, it keeps me going and makes me smile!**


	5. Five: Hasty Departure

**F I V E**

White. Everything was white. During the night, soft snow had floated down from dark clouds overhead, slowly covering the village in snow.

As he sat up in his bed, Killian took in the thick layer of snow covering the roof tops. Rubbing his eyes, Killian blindly reached for his phone. He kicked off the covers and grunted as he pushed himself up.

Killian snapped a picture of the snow covered village and sent it to his best friend Robin. He glanced at the digital clock on his bedside table. It was 8:07 am, which would make it 2:07 am in Boston. Killian figured that Robin would see it when he woke up.

After dragging his feet into the kitchen, Killian reached for a mug to make himself some coffee. While the water boiled, the Irishman let his thoughts wonder. Of course, Emma was the first thing he thought of.

Killian could not deny that he was attracted to the young woman. She was quick witted, but also funny and someone he enjoyed spending time with. She was like an open book to him, and Killian was almost sure that his affections were requited.

However, Killian wasn't sure how she felt about starting a relationship. They'd both opened up to each other, recounting bits and pieces of their pasts. Emma had told Killian about the only serious relationship she'd ever had, and admitted that it had not ended well. She did not, however, give any information about what had happened, other than the fact that he left her and broke her heart.

How could Killian show her that he wasn't that man? Frustrated, Killian pushed the chair he was sitting on aside. He poured the now boiling water into his white mug, stirred, and sat back down.

Should he ask her out? Would she even say yes? There was always a chance that she wouldn't, but after all, she had accepted his offer to have lunch and spend the afternoon together. Killian wanted to be confident that she would say yes, but he couldn't risk their friendship.

Killian brought his fist down to hit the table, spilling some coffee onto his white shirt.

"Shit." He groaned, moving to clean up the mess. Once the table was clean, Killian walked to the bathroom and took off his shirt, muscles flexing as he did so. Killian grabbed the bar of soap and scrubbed the stains, trying to restore the shirt to its clean state.

Glancing at his watch, Killian's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. The quadrant read 8:58 am, which meant that his skiing lesson started in two minutes.

Cursing, Killian threw his shirt back into the sink. The stains would have to wait. The Irishman dressed in record time, grabbed his skis and equipment and was out the door, which he almost forgot to lock in his hurry to be on time.

* * *

Emma looked around, trying to spot Killian in the crowd. The group was going to leave at any moment now, and her friend still wasn't anywhere in sight. Emma hoped that he hadn't gotten sick after she doused him in snow. Or maybe he had eaten too many Galettes Bretonnes. Emma chuckled at the thought.

"Allez, commencez à avancer vers le télésiège du Plan du Moulin." Robert motioned for the group to start moving. Emma slowly pushed herself forward, letting the other members of the group go before her.

Just when she thought that Killian wasn't going to show up, she caught a glimpse of a tall man pushing his way through the crowd. Emma caught his eye when he looked up, most likely to make sure that he was going the right way.

Yep, it definitely was Killian. There was only one person who could grin like that, making Emma's heart melt.

"Allez, Emma! On y va!" Robert's voice jolted Emma out of her trance. Of course, the blonde didn't even understand half of what he had said. Her ski instructor seemed to constantly forget that she did not speak or understand French. Emma was grateful for Killian's efforts to translate his instructions.

Despite her lack of knowledge regarding the French language, Emma had managed to understand that 'allez' meant something along the lines of 'let's go.' Nodding at her instructor, Emma slowly started towards the chairlift Robert had mentioned, hoping that Killian would be able to catch up.

The two usually tried to sit together on the chairlift. They would chat and joke around, occasionally commenting on the scenery or weather. It was nice to take a break from Robert screaming instructions in French.

Just as Emma reached the line to the chairlift, she heard someone skid to a stop behind her.

"Hello, love." Killian panted, making Emma turn around.

"Hey Killian." She smiled. "Running a bit late this morning, are we?" The blonde teased.

"I lost track of time, that's all." Killian grinned sheepishly.

"I was afraid I would have to ride the lift alone today, not to mention trying to decipher everything Robert says." Emma nudged Killian as they moved forward with the rest of the line.

"Well, not to worry milady, for sir Killian is here to save the day;"

"Why thank you good sir. I would curtsy, but this is probably not the time." Emma replied as the duo sat down on the chairlift. Killian, being the gentleman that he was, raised his arm to bring down the metal bar for Emma. He definitely was not expecting the bar to lower automatically, forcing him to retract his arm with a yelp of surprise.

Killian blushed slightly as Emma laughed beside him. Emma squirmed in her seat as she tried to find a more comfortable position.

"So, are you going to tell me what happened this morning?" She turned towards her friend. Killian looked down and scratched behind his ear, which Emma found adorable.

"Well, I was sitting at my kitchen table, just thinking, and when I looked at my watch, I realized I had two minutes to get to the lesson. I grabbed my stuff and ran out the door." Killian poked Emma's shoulder, trying to get her to stop laughing.

"Hey, it's not funny!" Killian interjected. "Now I'm going to have to deal with the vulture too!" Emma looked at Killian, puzzled.

"I'm sorry, 'the vulture?'" She asked, confused.

"Robert. He saw me skiing past him to catch up to you, and I think he noticed that I was late."

Emma didn't even hear anything Killian had said after 'Robert'. The blonde was clutching her stomach, laughing so hard that she thought she was going to fall out of the lift.

"What?" Killian was looking at her, confused just as she had been moments earlier.

"It's just," Emma managed to say between breaths, "Robert, the vulture?" She couldn't get anything else out, doubling over in laughter yet again.

"I've been calling him that in my head ever since I saw him." Killian defended himself. "Just look at him when we get off this lift, I swear he looks like some sort of vulture." Killian added, smiling at a still laughing Emma.

Emma nodded, trying to stop laughing.

"You know people on the ski run are looking at us like we're lunatics." Killian teased Emma.

"Don't care. 'The vulture?' God, this is too good." She giggled.

"Well, I'm glad that my precarious situation amuses you." Killian scoffed, crossing his arms and turning away from her.

"Oh, stop pouting, you big baby. It's your fault for being late anyway. Move your skis, we're almost there." She told him as they near the top of the lift. Killian did as he was told, raising his arm to move the metal bar as he had done when the two had first sat down. Emma giggled, finding the situation very comical.

All of a sudden, just as it had at the bottom of the mountain, the bar rose automatically, taking Killian by surprise yet again. The Irishman yanked his hand away with a grunt, sending Emma into yet another fit of giggles.


	6. Six: Heated Evening

**S I X**

" _Deep breaths, Killian, deep breaths. You can do this._ " Killian told himself. The Irishman was sitting on the couch beside Emma. Both were enjoying a steaming cup of hot chocolate and cinnamon. Emma had made Killian buy all the necessary ingredients so that he could try her favorite hot beverage.

"Emma, I…" Killian started. The blonde turned to look at him, smiling and nodding for him to continue. Killian scratched behind his ear.

"What's going on Killian?" Emma inquired, noticing this small but tell-tale sign. Killian smiled nervously before continuing.

"I… I was wondering if, maybe, you would like to…" Emma gave him a pointed look as he trailed off, twisting the bracelet on his wrist.

"Spit it out already." She urged him on.

"Would you like to go out with me?" Killian blurted, cringing at the surprised look Emma gave him. "I mean, I understand if you don't want to, I just-"

"Yes." Emma cut him off. "Yes, of course I'll go out with you." She smiled broadly.

"Thank god," Killian said as he ran his hand thorough his hair, relieved. "I thought you were going to say no." Emma giggled, shaking her head.

"Now why would I refuse such as offer?" She set her hand down on top of his, making Killian look up.

"So, uh, are you free tomorrow evening?" Killian inquired.

"Actually, no, sorry. I have things planned all day tomorrow." Emma replied. Killian looked down, crestfallen.

"Oh, that's okay. Maybe ano-"

"I'm just kidding! Of course I'm free tomorrow. It's not like I know anyone in this village except you. In fact, I'm free all of next week as well." Emma grinned.

"Oh." Killian replied sheepishly. "I'll pick you up at seven then?"

"Perfect." Emma answered with a smile.

"Oh, it's late, I should probably go." She added after glancing at her watch.

"I'll walk with you." Killian offered, standing up to grab his coat.

Emma nodded as she put on her shoes. She would have argued that it wasn't necessary, but over the past 4 days, she had learned that this was useless. Once Killian had set his mind to something, it was very hard to get him to change it. It was one of the many things that she lov- liked, yes, just liked, about him.

The blonde shook her head as she put on her coat. She really needed to stop fantasizing about Killian.

Her boyfriend –the word was new, but she definitely wouldn't mind using it more often- grabbed his keys and opened the door, holding it open for Emma. She passed him and nodded her thanks.

"Killian Jones, ever the gentleman." She teased, making him blush. Emma found it very cute and strangely endearing that he believed in good form and such. He wouldn't be the Killian she had become friends with if he didn't.

When the two were outside, Killian tentatively reached for Emma's hand. Upon noticing this, Emma took his hand in her and squeezed. The couple exchanged warm smiles.

Before they knew it, they had reached their destination and Emma was fishing her keys out of her pocket.

"I had a great time tonight. We should make hot cocoa with cinnamon more often." Emma grinned up at Killian, who returned the gesture.

"Gladly."

"See you tomorrow then? On time maybe?" Emma teased him, poking him in the chest.

"I'll try, Swan. I'll try." Killian replied as Emma turned to open the door of her rental apartment.

Killian was frozen. Was he supposed to kiss her goodnight? Was it too early? How would she react? He really hoped that Emma couldn't tell that he was internally panicking. Deciding on a safer option, so to speak, Killian slowly reached for Emma's arm.

Before she knew it, Killian's soft lips made contact with her cheek. Emma flushed as he pulled away. She found the gesture was incredibly sweet.

Emma held Killian's hand as he retreated down the hall.

"Goodnight Killlian." She whispered before letting go.

"Goodnight, love. Sweet dreams." Killian smiled softly before disappearing down the stairs.

Not five minutes after Killian had left, Emma found herself craving his presence. Emma never expected to miss his jokes and their banter as much as she did now. Sighing, the blonde sat at the foot of her bed, toeing off her shoes. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Killian was having a very good dream –which may or not have involved him and Emma in some rather compromising postures- when he was pulled from his slumber by knocking, no, pounding on his door.

"Bloody buggering hell." Killian cursed, throwing the bedsheets to the side before sliding off the bed. Whoever was bothering him at this time better have a very good excuse.

"Fire! Fire!" was what he heard as he threw the door open. As fast as it had come, Killian's anger dissipated, worry taking its place. He had to get out of the building, fast.

Killian knew that going back into his room to grab any of his belongings would be incredibly foolish, not to mention risky. Stepping out onto the hallway, Killian analyzed the situation.

The fire seemed to be on the opposite side of the building, and as far as he could see, it had not reached his floor yet. To his left, a couple was struggling to carry their four kids out of the burning structure.

Killian took off in their direction, offering to escort them and their children out. The short woman nodded whilst balancing a child on her hip and pulling another forward by the hand. Killian picked up a small boy who was crying beside his father and held him tight as he motioned for the others to start moving.

Killian and the little family all but ran to the emergency exit. The children's father held the door open while everyone rushed out.

A heartbreaking scene greeted them once they were out of the smoky corridor. Sirens and screams were all that could be heard. At a safe distance from the fire, couples were holding each other, seeking comfort. Children were screaming and crying, their parents doing the best they could to soothe them.

In front of the building, the firefighters were hard at work. One group was trying to put out the fire. On top of a red firetruck, a man in his protective gear was yelling orders. A ladder was deployed, men climbing with striking agility to evacuate anyone still in the building.

Killian shivered in the cold. He was only wearing flannel pajamas and his blue slippers, which were soaked because of the snow. Looking around, Killian saw that citizens from the rest of the village had come to help care for the escapees. They had most likely been alerted by the noise. It was a very small village after all.

Had Emma wondered all the way here, curious about the commotion? Killian didn't know, but he hoped that the incident hadn't woken her up. In his hurry to get away from the hotel which was going up in flames, Killian tripped in the snow, which resulted in his pajamas getting soaked.

"Dammit." He cursed.

Teeth chattering, Killian headed for the other side of the street, trying to find anything he could do to help. He was helping a young pregnant woman across the street and away from the fire when he heard someone call his name amidst all the noise. Pausing, Killian looked over his shoulder.

"Killian!" The voice called again. Killian helped the woman onto a wooden bench, smiling sadly before turning around to face the only person that voice could belong to.

"Emma." Killian whispered, pulling her into a tight embrace. The blonde buried her head into his chest.

"Killian, thank God you're okay." She looked up, tears in her eyes. "I saw the fire, and I… I was so worried. I was so scared." She whispered.

She was the only thing Killian heard or saw. In that moment, all that mattered was her. She was here. She was okay.

"Shh," Killian soothed her. "I'm here, it's okay, Swan. It's alright." He rubbed circles on her back.

Emma reached up and cupped his cheek, wiping a tear he didn't know had fallen.

"You're okay." She repeated, as if to remind herself. Emma looked up to Killian, eyes full of tears. Without warning, she grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled him closer. Their lips met, and it was unlike anything Killian had ever felt before. The passion, the relief, the lingering fear. Killian felt it all. Their lips moved in sync, the couple pouring all their emotions into the kiss.

Before Killian knew it, Emma was pulling away, taking a breath. It was then that the trance broke. All the sounds of the fire, the screams, the sirens, the panic. The atrocious music flooded his ears, overwhelming him. Nevertheless, Killian kept his eyes on Emma. At the moment, all he could think of was her.

When Emma opened her mouth to say something, Killian expected her to make a comment on the kiss.

"Your lips are blue." She frowned. So Killian did the only thing he found appropriate at that moment. He laughed. Amidst the commotion and the panic, he laughed.

Emma smiled at him.

"Come on." She tugged at his sleeve. "Let's get you warmed up."


	7. Seven: Wandering Thoughts

**N**

Emma pushed the door of her rental apartment open and gently ushered Killian inside.

"The bathroom is over here." She motioned to a white door on her right. "You can go take a shower to warm up, and I'll try to find some dry clothes that will fit you."

"I don't mean to impose, Emma. I don't need to take a-"

"Killian," Emma shot him a stern look. She clearly was not taking no for an answer. "Your lips are blue, and you're shivering like a Chihuahua. Go take a warm shower. Now."

Nodding in defeat, Killian walked into the small bathroom. He felt the wall, flipping the light switch once he found it.

"You can use one of those towels." Emma gestured towards a pile of towels sitting on a small plastic table. Nodding, Killian waited for Emma to retired before locking the door and stripping off his humid clothes.

Turning the knobs, Killian adjusted the temperature to his liking. He stepped into the warm spray with a sigh. Emma had been right. The hot shower helped him relax and warm up.

Just in the other side of the wall, Emma was struggling to focus on the task at hand. How was she supposed to find suitable clothes for her handsome boyfriend when he was naked in the next room? As hard as she tried, Emma could not rid these arousing thoughts from her mind.

The blonde couldn't help the cry of frustration that escaped her lips. This man was going to be the death of her. Sighing, she pulled green boxers –they're comfy, don't judge- and a large blue t-shirt from her suitcase. Both articles of clothing were things she wore as pajamas, but she figured they would fit Killian. It wasn't like she brought men's clothes with her every time she went on a trip.

Taking a deep breath, Emma grabbed her phone and texted Elsa.

-Elsa! Help! Killian is in my bathroom, naked!

Emma nervously drummed her fingers on her legs while she waited for Elsa's answer. It was still relatively early in the evening in Boston. Emma jumped when her phone vibrated, almost sending it flying across the table in her hurry to read the text.

-What?! What is he even doing there?

Emma's fingers flew across the keyboard as she shot back a reply.

-Long stories short, his hotel was on fire, I found him and took him to my flat.

-And is he staying the night?

-I didn't specifically mention it, but I can't send him back out into the cold, can I?

Emma's phone suddenly started ringing. Elsa's smiling face smiled at her through the screen. She quickly accepted the call and put the phone up to her ear.

"Is he still in the shower?" Elsa asked before Emma could say anything.

"Yes, for now." Emma replied as she pushed a blonde strand behind her ear.

"Okay, I'm going to go straight to the point. Do you have a couch that one of you can sleep on?" When Emma replied inn the affirmative, Elsa continued. "Well, you can work out which one of you sleeps there. That way you can avoid the awkwardness of sharing a bed."

"Alright." Emma breathed into the phone. "Shit, the water turned off. He's coming out Elsa, what do I do?" Emma panicked.

"Breathe. Calm down, Emma. He asked you out earlier, and from what you've told me he clearly likes you."

"Exactly! And I like him too, which is why I don't want to ruin this before we even go on our first date!" Emma blurted. Elsa sighed.

"Look, if he really wants to be with you, he won't care how you act, as long as you make sure to be yourself."

"Alright. I'll take your advice then." Emma ran a hand through her hair.

"Emma?" Killian's voice rang throughout the flat, making Emma curse.

"I have to go Elsa. Thanks for your help."

"That's what friends are for. Good luck, and tell me how it goes."

"Okay. See you later Elsa." Emma replied before hanging up. Taking a breath, she stood up.

"I'm coming, Killian." Emma reached for the clothes she was going to lend him and headed for the bathroom, scolding herself for her choice of words.

Emma knocked softly on the door, holding her breath as the handle moved downward. Killian's wet head poked out, smiling at her. The door opened wider, revealing the rest of his body. Emma's breathing hitched, and she swore her heart was beating so hard the neighbors could have heard it.

A fluffy white towel covered Killian's lower body, but his wet chest was completely exposed. Dark hair glistened as drops of water dripped onto the floor. Emma couldn't help but follow the trails of dark hair down, until it disappeared behind the towel.

Killian cleared his throat, making her look up with a jerk of her head. Blushing, she handed Killian the clothes.

"Uh, here you go. These should, um, fit you." She managed to articulate. Chuckling, Killian reached for the clothes. If he wondered why she had these sort of clothes with her, he did not mention it, only thanking her before retreating into the bathroom.

Emma stop there gapping for a moment before she shook her head, turning and heading back to the living room.

"Blankets. I have to find blankets." She told herself, trying to think about something else than a wet Killian standing there in nothing but a towel- stop it Emma!

Emma groaned as she violently opened a closet. What had gotten into her? He was just another man. _But he isn't_. Her subconscious insisted.

Kicking herself, Emma tried to focus on the task at hand.

"Dammit." She cursed when she only found a thin bedsheet. Killian was surely going to freeze with only such a thin layer to sleep with. Sighing in defeat, she walked back to the couch and dropped what she was carrying on the armrest. She couldn't ask him to sleep with only a bedsheet to keep him warm, which meant she had to find another solution. Of course, the only other option was sharing Emma's small bed.

Emma jumped when Killian called her name from behind her.

"I didn't mean to scare you, love." He apologized. Shaking her head, Emma turned to answer him, but any coherent words she had wanted to speak flew out the window when she saw him. Emma never imagined being so affected by a man wearing her clothes, but damn he looked good. Way too good.

"Oh, uh, it's fine." She managed to utter. Killian smiled softly at her.

"I'll take the couch." He offered.

"But-" Emma started, only to be cut off by Killian.

"Emma, I'm sleeping on the couch. I've already imposed on you just by being here, and I don't want to be a nuisance."

You could never be a nuisance. Emma thought. Shoulders sagging in defeat, she nodded.

"Goodnight, Emma." Killian kissed her forehead, making her blush.

"Goodnight." Emma whispered, slipping under the covers of her own bed.


	8. Eight: Up in Smoke

**Hey everyone! It's been a while, but I've been really busy with school and other things. So without further ado, I give you, chapter eight! Enjoy.**

* * *

Emma awoke to the smell of coffee. She rolled onto her back with a groan. The blonde opened her eyes and was greeted by a glorious sight. Killian was shirtless in her kitchen, humming as he flipped pancakes. Emma licked her lips, taking in the sight.

She quickly turned away when Killian whipped his head around to see if she was awake. Emma blushed, embarrassed of being caught.

"Like what you see?" Killian smirked. Emma flushed crimson, not daring to look up at him. "I can put on a shirt if you're uncomfortable." He offered. Emma nodded slowly. She didn't mind his shirtless state, she just wasn't sure she could control herself.

Killian quickly grabbed his borrowed shirt and slipped it on. "You can look now." He told Emma. The blonde threw the sheets to the side and padded to the kitchen.

"Breakfast for the lady." Killian grinned as he set a plate of pancakes in front of her.

"Killian, you didn't have to." Emma blushed.

"Nonsense. You took me in in the middle of the night and offered me a place to sleep. It was the least I could do." Killian sat down beside her with a plate of his own.

"Sleep well?" He changed the subject. Emma nodded, blushing as she remembered the glorious sight she had woken to.

"Great, what about you?" She said between bites.

"Good." Killian smiled. He had actually barely slept because of the cold, but he didn't want to make Emma feel guilty.

He glanced at his watch. "You should get dressed, the skiing class start in fifteen minutes."

Emma shook her head. "I'm not going. We need to go find out what happened to your stuff." Killian held a finger out in front of him.

"I need to go do that. You payed for your lessons, you should go." He said as he took the dirty plates to the sink.

"I'm not going without you." Emma insisted. "And since you don't have your stuff, you can't go. So I'm not going." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Fine." Killian sighed in defeat. "I'll shower after you." He offered. Emma nodded and walked to the cupboard. She grabbed some clothes and walked into the bathroom, smiling briefly at Killian before shutting the door.

An hour later, both were ready to go. Emma smiled at Killian as she locked the door, then stuffed her keys into her pocket.

Killian intertwined his fingers with Emma's as they headed to his flat. Well, what had been his flat. Emma gasped when she saw the building. Half of it was burned to ashes, only blackened walls remaining. The rest of the building was still standing, untouched, as if nothing had happened the previous evening.

Tugging on Emma's hand, Killian led her to an improvised booth where it seemed that volunteers were helping out those in need. After waiting for a good fifteen minutes in the long line, it was finally their turn.

"Bonjour," Killian smiled at the young woman. "J'ai une chambre dans ce bâtiment, et je voudrais récupérer mes affaires." He explained in flawless French. The brunette smiled warmly and waved a policeman over. The two exchanged a few words and the policeman motioned for Killian to follow him.

"What's going on?" Emma hissed, tightening her hold on his hand.

"Relax, Swan." Killian smiled as they walked into the building. "He's escorting us into my room so we can get my things."

"Allez-y, je vous attends ici." The officer told Killian. The latter nodded and walked into the room. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that none of his things had been damaged or touched.

"You got lucky." Emma whispered as she looked around the room, thinking of the other guests who had lost their belongings. Their vacation was ruined.

"Hey, Emma." Killian stepped in front of her, holding her wrists. "It's alright." He said softly, exhaling in surprise when Emma buried her head into his chest, wrapping her arms around him. Killian did the same, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

Emma was the first to pull away, however reluctantly.

"Packing." She sighed. Killian nodded, gathering his belongings and stuffing them into his suitcase. A few minutes later, he was done. He looked up to see Emma holding his skis, smiling.

"Bloody hell, I almost forgot those." He grinned. "Thank you, love." Emma smiled and turned to go back into the corridor, Killian following not far behind.

After sorting out a few things including making sure Killian wasn't going to be charged the room anymore, the two headed back to Emma's flat. The blonde put his skis out on the balcony and threw herself onto the couch, landing roughly.

"Ow." Her voice was muffled by the pillow. Killian laughed as he set down his suitcase and took off his coat.

"You alright there Swan?" He grinned. Emma groaned into the pillow in response. "I'll take that as a yes." Killian laughed.

Emma tensed when she felt Killian pull off her shoes. She relaxed and closed her eyes, breathing in his scent on the pillow he slept with.

"You might want to take off your coat, love." Emma could hear the teasing in his voice and couldn't help but grin. She pushed herself up with a grunt and took off her coat, promptly throwing it on the couch. Killian rolled his eyes and picked it up, putting it on a coat-hanger.

"Killian?" Came Emma's quiet voice from the couch, making Killian turn. "Are we… still going on our date tonight?" She blushed slightly. Killian smiled and sat down beside her on the couch, taking her hands in his.

"Aye, of course." He nodded. "Unless you changed your mi-"

"Oh, no, no!" Emma cut him off. "I still want to. I can't wait." She bit her lip and smiled. Killian stared at her for a moment, in awe at how beautiful she looked, her blond hair framing her face perfectly, a few loose strands falling over her striking emerald eyes. The way she bit her lip innocently did things to him he never thought it would.

Killian blinked and smiled at her, shaking out of his trance.

"Fantastic." He kissed her hand softly, then stood. "Hot cocoa?" He offered, to which Emma grinned and nodded.

"With cinnamon."

"Aye, don't forget the cinnamon." He laughed and grabbed two mugs.


	9. Nine: Clear Skies

**I absolutely loved writing this chapter. It is one of my favorites so far. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

 **Keep the feedback coming, it encourages me to write more and makes me smile! A huge thank you to ness fan 01 for her lovely reviews. You rock!**

N I N E

Emma held onto Killian's waist tightly as the two raced up the mountain on their snowmobile. It was only eight in the evening, but night had already fallen, the headlights the only source of light near them. She looked back and smiled when she saw the snow flying behind them, floating back down slowly after being picked up by the red snowmobile. The blonde turned back around and rested her head on Killian's back, watching the snow covered pine trees zoom past in a blur.

Soon enough they reached the peak of the mountain. Killian stopped their vehicle and jumped down, sinking into the snow up to his ankles. Emma quickly joined him, intertwining their fingers with a smile. Killian led her to an elevated wooden platform about five meters across.

"How did you find this place?" Emma said in awe as she stepped onto the platform and took in the view.

"I have my ways." Killian answered mysteriously as he joined her with a few thick wool blankets. He rolled his eyes and dropped the blankets when Emma shot him a pointed look.

"Okay, fine. I went to the visitor center." He admitted with a sheepish grin.

"Did you come here beforehand? I didn't see any other snowmobile tracks." Emma remarked as she sat down on the blanket Killian had just laid out.

"Er… no. I just looked at a map and hoped I would remember the way." He scratched behind his ear nervously and sat down beside her.

"Killian! You could've gotten us lost in the woods in the middle of the night!" Emma cried out, punching his arm.

"But I didn't!" He grinned and wrapped a blanket around them. "I have a good memory, and looking at sailing maps for days on end helped me remember this one very easily." Emma rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around him, leaning into his side.

"It's beautiful." She whispered as she looked down into the valley. Below them, the lights of the village shone bright, like candles lighting up the dark night as they flickered. Killian nodded and gently tilted her head back so that she was looking up at the dark sky, scattered with the bright lights that were the stars.

"Wow." Emma breathed out as she stared up into the clear night sky.

Killian lay down on his back, his right arm behind his head, his left still wrapped around her waist. Emma quickly got into the same position, her small hand covering Killian's larger one as it rested on her stomach. She pulled the blanket tighter around them and snuggled into his side with a contented sigh.

"That's the swan." Killian and pointed up at the constellation, tracing it with his finger to show Emma what it looked like.

"That's the head, the tail, and the wings." He explained as he moved his finger along the imaginary lines. "It's always been a favorite of mine." He smiled fondly.

"The only constellations I know are the big dipper and the little dipper. I can't even spot the little one most of the time." Emma giggled.

"I can show you if you'd like." Killian offered, to which Emma nodded excitedly.

"Alright." He said softly. "The big dipper, or Ursa major, is over there." He pointed to a spot low on the horizon. "To find the little dipper, your just extend the beak of the dipper up five times. The lone star in that area is the North Star. From there, your follow the trail of stars that curl up and to the left, which will lead you to the dipper. And there you go." He smiled. "Oh, and between the two bears is the dragon constellation, keeping the baby from its mother."

Emma nodded slowly, amazed at his knowledge and the passion with which he spoke of the stars.

"Over here is Cassiopeia. See, it looks like a sideways W. The Earth's rotation causes it to turn upside down for part of the year. The story goes that she was a very beautiful but very vain queen. She tried to sacrifice her daughter, and her punishment was to be confined to her throne, forced to spend half the year upside down, clutching said throne is order not to fall."

"She sounds like an ass." Emma remarked, making Killian laugh. "Tell me another one, please?" She turned her head to look at him.

"Alright. See those three bright stars in a line?" He smiled and pointed towards a spot low on the horizon. "That's the belt of Orion, the hunter. It's very easy to find, but it's only visible in winter. Well, in the northern hemisphere anyways. This is how his story goes."

And on and on he went, regaling Emma with tales of the stars , his deep and accented voice caressing her ears as he held her. This continued late into the night, the moon having set hours ago. When they arose, the Milky Way had moved from high in the heavens to low in the sky.

Killian helped Emma up, surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck, her body flush against his as she looked up into his deep blue eyes.

"Thank you for tonight, Killian. This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me." She said quietly and sincerely, never breaking eye contact.

Killian found himself instinctively leaning in, and before he knew it his lips met Emma's in a slow and tender kiss. Her delicate fingers played with the hair on the nape of his neck while he cupped her cheeks.

Just as the two broke apart, a bright shooting star lit up the sky, catching their attention.

"Make a wish." Killian whispered with a smile. Emma closed her eyes for a moment before open them again.

"What did you wish for?" Killian smiled.

"I can't tell you." Emma poked his nose.

"Why not?" Killian cocked his head.

"Because if I do it won't come true." She said simply before closing the distance between them again.


	10. Ten: Frozen Date

**Here's another one! This is (again) a fluffy chapter (because I'm just a sucker for CaptainSwan fluff, in case you haven't noticed). The next one though… You'll see.**

 **Special thought to my friend Monika, who I know has been going through some tough stuff.**

 **Guess where I was last week? That's right, I was skiing in Saint-Sorlin D'Arves! I had tons of fun, and I couldn't stop thinking about these two.**

 **Oh, and I added a little reference in here, let's see who can find it!**

 **In other news, I'm thinking about posting this story on Archive of Our Own, for those of you who are interested. Spread the word!**

 **Don't hesitate to comment every little thought that goes through your head! I love it, and it encourages me to keep going.**

Ten : Frozen Date

The following days were bliss. Killian and Emma attended their skiing lessons in the mornings, constantly joking about having to bear their instructor, Robert. Or maybe it was the other way around…

During the afternoon, the two would often ski together, joking around. Emma almost died of laughter when Killian didn't get off the chairlift fast enough and had to go down and back up again while she waited at the top.

On several occasions, however, they stayed in Emma's rental flat to cuddle, talk, read, play board games and watch movies. With hot cocoa, of course. Emma had now developed a flawless technique for checkers.

Killian always had something or other planned for them to do in the evening. Between a fancy dinner, bowling, a firework show and a karaoke bar, Emma didn't know where he was coming up with these ideas, or what he was going to come up with next.

Much to her chagrin, their stay in the small village was drawing to a close. Emma had been carefully avoiding the subject, as if it wouldn't become reality until it was voiced out loud. She knew, however, that she would have to confront Killian about it soon.

"You ready?" The man in question interrupted her thoughts and slipped his warm calloused hand into hers. Emma nodded, letting him lead her out of the door and to their destination for the evening.

"What do you think?" Killian asked with a smile a few minutes later, gesturing to the white building in front of them.

"Ice-skating?" Emma's eyes widened. "This is so exciting! I've never been before!" She cried out in glee.

"So you like it?" Killian beamed.

"I absolutely love it!" She leaned forward to press a kiss to the corner of his lips.

A few minutes later, the two had donned their skates and were wobbling towards the skating rink. Killian stepped onto the ice first, turning with ease to wait for Emma. She followed hesitantly, gripping the railing as she took a few clumsy steps.

The blonde looked up from her feet and into deep ocean blue eyes when she felt Killian's gloved hand slip into her own.

"I've got you." He reassured her and squeezed her hand. Emma nodded and reluctantly let go of the railing to lean on Killian. He adjusted his pace to match hers, encouraging her when she lost her balance or slowed down. He smiled at the way her face lit up despite the concentrated expression she wore.

Emma looked at him in surprise when his hold on her hand loosened considerably. Killian nodded with a smile as he withdrew his hand, leaving her to skate on her own.

Emma bit her lip in concentration and looked down at her feet. She took small steps on the ice. Killian was right behind her, ready to catch her if she fell. Emma did a full lap and then turned around, grinning at Killian.

"I did it!" She squealed excitedly, stepping forward to grab his outstretched hand. Emma gasped when her foot slipped and she lurched forwards. She closed her eyes and braced for the impact with the ground. What she came into contact with, however, was definitely too soft and warm to be ice.

"You okay, love?" Came Killian's accented voice as he helped her stand. Emma nodded and smiled.

"Let's do it again!" She exclaimed and pulled Killian behind her. And so they did.

* * *

"Oh, that was so much fun." Emma sighed happily as they stepped into her rental flat. Their rental flat, now. "Thank you, Killian." She smiled gratefully as she sat down to take off her shoes.

Killian nodded in agreement and put away their winter gear before sitting on the couch. Well, technically, his bed. A temporary bed, He reminded himself. He realized that he wasn't going to share a flat with Emma forever, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to miss it.

"Killian?" Emma's soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Aye?" He looked up and turned towards her.

"Want to watch a movie?" She asked as she sat down beside him and snuggled into his side, humming softly.

The two ended up watching Sherlock and stuffing themselves with popcorn.

"Sherlock's voice is so sexy." Emma sighed dreamily when the first episode ended.

"Are you implying something there, Swan?" Killian said in a husky voice, raising an eyebrow. A shiver ran down Emma's spine, and she closed her eyes for a moment.

"Nothing at all." She bit her lip and looked into his eyes. "You both have deep sexy voices, with the accent and all."

"Now that's better." Killian chuckled, nuzzling her neck.

"Shut up and put on the next episode." Emma rolled her eyes, grinning.

An hour later, Emma had fallen asleep, her head dropping onto Killian's shoulder. He smiled softly when he noticed this and carefully shifted so that he could carry her off the couch. He gently laid her down on her bed and pulled the covers over her. Emma opened her eyes slightly at the movement and tentatively reached for his hand.

"Stay." She said softly, looking up into his eyes sleepily. Killian nodded slowly, smiling as he slipped under the covers beside her. Emma instinctively snuggled into him with a happy sigh. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her small frame, letting sleep overtake him.


	11. Eleven: Sweet Breakfast

**Hi everyone! It's been a while, but school and such got the best of me. Here's a new chapter, enjoy!**

 **Eleven : Sweet Breakfast**

Emma awoke in Killian's arms, her head nestled between his neck and his shoulder. His left hand had slipped under her shirt and rested low on her back. The blonde shifted and looked up, eyes roving over Killian's face. He looked peaceful and relaxed as he slept, free of worry.

Her hand came up to brush a strand of his messy hair away from his eyes. She then caressed his cheek, making his eyes flutter open.

"Hi." Killian whispered with a small smile, his ocean blue eyes piercing into hers. Emma blushed and withdrew her hand, biting her lip as she returned his intense gaze.

Killian slowly leaned in to kiss her, his right hand weaving through her hair as their lips met. Emma closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, hungry for more.

Lips moved in sync and tongues fought. A moan escaped Emma's lips, heat and desire pooling deep in her belly. Subconsciously, Killian rolled his hips, his evident erection rubbing against her.

It was then that Emma realized what could happen if this continued. Her eyes widened and she pulled away, pushing Killian's chest. He opened his eyes in surprise, a mixed expression of confusion and hurt flashing in his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but Emma cut him off.

"I- I'm sorry. I just…" She stammered, not meeting his eyes.

"Hey." Killian lifted her chin up with a finger. "It's alright." He smiled softly, though Emma could still see the slightly pained expression behind his facade.

"I'm… I'm going to go shower." Emma stuttered, hastily pushing herself off the bed and scurrying into the bathroom.

Killian ran a hand through his hair and sighed, laying on his back and wondering what on Earth he had done wrong.

Meanwhile, Emma stepped into the shower, closing her eyes and letting the hot spray run over her body. She sank down against the wall, sighing. Now that she was here alone, she wasn't sure if running away from Killian was what she really wanted. He had been nothing but sweet and charming since she met him, and she really did like him.

Still, she wasn't sure about taking this step with him. Emma hadn't slept since anyone since Neal, and that ended terribly. Yet, Killian, well, Killian was just Killian. There was no way he was with her just to get into her pants. Wasn't there?

Emma groaned and laid her head back. One thing was for sure, she was already cleary aroused. Her hand trailed downwards, brushing lightly over her clit. Biting her bottom lip to muffled hher soft moans, Emma kept on brushing feather-light strokes, just as she liked it. It was at the thought of Killian, who was standing unaware in the next room, that she fell over the edge, coming with a soft cry.

* * *

Killian was making breakfast when Emma walked out of the bathroom.

"Hey." He smiled softly and flipped a pancake. Emma merely smiled, avoiding his gaze. She blushed, thinking back to what could have happened could have happened just a few minutes earlier and her 'alone time' in the shower.

Killian said nothing, simply setting a plate of pancakes topped with strawberries and whipped cream at her spot at the table.

"Strawberries? At this time of the year?" She shot him a surprised glance as she sat down. "Jesus Killian, how much did they cost? Never mind, I don't want to know.

"A simple 'thank you' would suffice." Killian rolled his eyes. "And I don't care about prices, as long as you're happy." He met her eyes as he sat down on the seat in front of her.

"I- uh, thank you. Really." She held his gaze this time, green clashing with blue. After a moment Emma looked away, popping a strawberry into her mouth.

"Emma…" Killian started, scratching behind his ear nervously. Emma thought it was adorable, really. However, she doubted she would like what came out of his mouth next, judging by his tone.

"Look, it's no use beating around the bush here, so I'm just going to get straight to the point." He took a breath. "It's Thursday, and I leave Saturday."

Emma sucked in a breath, staring at him with wide eyes. He was going to leave her, just like Neal had. Of course this was just a fling for him, how could she have been so stupid? Emma opened her mouth to speak, that would be if she was able to form a coherent sentence.

"Now, before you say anything," Killian cut her off. "I don't want this, us," He gestured between them, "to end." He covered her hand with his, eyes searching her face worriedly.

"You… You don't?" Emma. Cursed her voice for sounding so unsteady.

"No, love, of course I don't." He rubbed the back of her hand reassuringly. _I love you_. The words rang through his head and were at the tip of his tongue, but he forced himself to keep his mouth shut. As open as Emma had been with him for these last few days, Killian knew that she would most likely freak out and run if he told her those three words.

 _I_ _love_ _you_. So simple to say, so short and to the point. Yet, the words meant so much. As much as Killian wanted to shout from the rooftops that he loved her, he knew that it was too early.

"When is your train?" Killian asked softly.

"Saturday as well, at 4:30 p.m." Emma said quietly. "What about you?" She asked.

"Mine is at 9:30 a.m." He smiled tentatively. "I planned to stay a couple days in Paris before catching a flight home. Do some sightseeing and all that." He explained. "Tell you what," He leaned forward to look at the clock that hung above the freezer. "Shit! We're late!"

In the end they arrived too late for Robert's skiing lesson, deciding to ski on their own for the morning. Not that they really minded.


End file.
